Each sport may have certain rituals. For example, there is a tea that football players drink before matches. We leave our content about what it is until last. Let’s get to our main topic.
Their coaches make the weightlifters and football players smell something before the competitions. What they make them smell indirectly affects their performance. Let’s see what happened.
Ammonia is smelled.
The ammonia they smell has many positive effects on them. For example, it increases attention and alertness by stimulating the nose and nervous system and giving adrenaline. It also opens the nose and respiratory tract, allowing deeper and more effective breathing. Thus, oxygen intake increases.
The pain threshold of some athletes increases thanks to ammonia, allowing weightlifters to do heavier lifts. In some people, it is used as a kind of ritual or psychological preparation.
So, does it have a direct impact on performance?
Although not directly, it may be indirectly because ammonia does not have the ability to strengthen muscles. However, in competitions without smelling ammonia, factors such as pain sensation, injury, and attention may increase and indirectly affect performance.
Have you ever watched a weightlifting competition or football players preparing for a match and seen them being made to smell ammonia? Write in the comments!